The news came Saturday, Sept. 27— almost exactly one month after tickets first went on sale and over two weeks before the show — that Dancing with the Rutland Stars was officially sold out. It is the fastest tickets have sold out since the benefit began four years ago.
“Words of thanks are hardly enough,” wrote Carrie Allen, fundraising committee chair for Kids On The Move, to the cast and crew of this year’s show, on behalf of the Board of Directors at RAVNAH. “The money we raise will go a long way to support pediatric services in our community.”
Dancing with the Rutland Stars, a dance competition modeled after the successful TV show, pairs local dance professionals with local “celebrities.” The seven couples will perform to a sold out crowd of nearly 900 at the Paramount Theatre, Saturday, Oct. 11. Tickets sold faster much than previous years, which shows the benefit’s growing popularity. Last year, the show also sold out, but tickets were available going into the final week.
The 2014 performance is the fourth annual Dancing with the Rutland Stars benefit. This year’s participants in order of performance are:
1. “Star” Shana Duval, communications coordinator external affairs at Velco,
and dance professional Christopher Kiernan.
2. “Star” Rob Bliss, assistant superintendent of Rutland City Public Schools,
and dance professional Kristen Chapman.
3. “Star” Polly Lynn, editor and co-publisher of The Mountain Times
and dance professional William Kelley.
4. “Star” Eric Marsh, M.D., orthopaedic surgeon at Vermont Orthopaedic Clinic,
and dance professional Tracey Tedesco.
5. “Star” Sheriff Stephen P. Benard, elected sheriff for Rutland County (ten years),
and dance professional Jill Corey.
6. “Star” Brent Godnick, owner of Godnick’s Grand Furniture,
and dance professional Sam Ho.
7. “Star” Elias Hajj, owner of Hannoush Jewelers,
and dance professional Ana Di Tursi.
The order of performance was determined by a random drawing in June. Each dance couple will perform for a panel of three “celebrity judges” and an enthusiastic audience.
This year’s judges are: Mary Powell, GEO of Green Mountain Power; Rob McClellan, attorney at the law offices of McClallen & Associates, PC; and Bruce Bouchard, executive director for the Paramount Theatre.
Dancing with the Rutland Stars benefits Kids on the Move, pediatric rehabilitation programs and the pediatric hi-tech programs of the Rutland Area Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice.
For results from the night visit mountaitimes.info, for more information visit www.paramountlive.org or www.rutlandheatlfhoundation.org.
By Polly Lynn
